WO1999028883A1 - Monitoring system - Google Patents

Abstract

A monitoring system comprising pick-up means to pick up sound from a first location and emitting means to emit sound at a second location generally as picked up by the pick-up means, wherein the pick-up means and emitting means are adapted to be linked, in use, by means for supplying electricity to the first and second locations.

Description

Title: Monitoring System

Description of nvention

This invention relates to a monitoring system, and particularly but not exclusively to a monitoring system which may conveniently be used to provide a signal, desirably audible, advising of an unauthorised intrusion into a domestic or commercial premises.

Many intruder alarm systems are of course known for this purpose, and these, broadly speaking, fall into two categories.

The first type is characterised primarily in that on unauthorised intrusion, a detector (of which several types are known) is activated, which then causes a warning signal to be activated at or near the premises concerned, such as a siren, flashing light or the like.

The second type is characterised in that on activation of the system, the system functions in a so-called "silent" manner, in that no discernible warning signal is produced at the premises, but instead, a warning signal is sent, conveniently via a telephone system, to a receiving station, which receiving station subsequently alerts the police, so that an arrest may be made without first alerting the intruders.

However, both such systems have major drawbacks.

In the case of the first type, malfunctions have been found to be relatively common, and the ensuing noise is clearly a nuisance. Moreover, such audible alarms now tend to be ignored on the basis that they are perceived to be the result of a malfunction, rather than as a result of an unauthorised intrusion.

As regards the second type, these too are prone to malfunction, or inadvertent triggering, such that police time may often be wasted in attending to unnecessary call-outs. It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved monitoring system which reduces the problems set out above.

According to one aspect of the invention, I provide a monitoring system comprising pick-up means to pick up sound from a first location and emitting means to emit sound at a second location generally as picked up by the pick-up means, wherein the pick-up means and emitting means are adapted to be linked, in use, by means for supplying electricity to the first and second locations.

Thus, the pick-up means (conveniently a microphone or other similar transducer) and emitting means (conveniently a loudspeaker or other similar transducer) may comprise plug means to enable them to be connected to electrical circuitry (conveniently the electrical ring main) at the first and second locations.

The first and second locations preferably relate to different premises, such as, for example, neighbouring houses, or perhaps adjacent flats or apartments, which of course could be generally vertically spaced apart or generally horizontally spaced apart, depending upon the construction of the building concerned.

Therefore, in use, a pick-up means may be placed at a first premises, and an emitting means may be placed at a second premises, such that persons at the second premises are audibly warned of a noise-generating intrusion at the first premises, and are thus able to alert the police so that the intruders may be apprehended at the first premises without first having knowledge of their discovery.

I have found that particularly effective pick-up means and emitting means are those such as are currently used on an intra-house basis for the p pose of monitoring children, and which are thus commercially available as "baby alarms".

It will of course be appreciated that in order to function in the desired manner, the premises associated with the first and second locations should be served by the same mains electricity supply, so that electrical contact between the pick-up means and emitting means in the two premises may be made.

In order to reduce or eliminate the possibility of interference occurring in a situation where a plurality of such systems are in operation in the vicinity of each other, it is anticipated that the frequency at which the pick-up means and emitting means function may be selectable, and I specifically envisage a digital system as being the most suitable in this respect, by viitue of the clarity of signal which may be obtained with digital signal transmission networks.

It will of course be appreciated that more than one pick-up means may be placed at the first location, and that more than one emitting means may be placed at the second location, each tuned to the relevant operating frequency.

The invention provides advantages over known systems in that if desired, extremely sensitive audio monitoring may be achieved (I have found that even sounds emanating from clocks and central heating systems may be discernible at the second location) with the effect that a forced entry would easily be heard by a person at the second location.

Alternatively, however, the monitoring system may comprise control means to prevent emission of sound at the second location unless the volume of sound at the first location rises above a pre-determined level.

In this way, persons at the second location are not disturbed by relatively quiet sounds emanating from the first location, such as the ticking of clocks, wind, and the like, but are alerted when a louder noise, such as that which is likely to be produced during an attempted break-in, is produced at the first location.

The control means may comprise a receiver such as a transducer, located in or near the pick-up means.

Alternatively, the control means may be incorporated into the emitting means, thus effectively acting as a filter, to prevent emission of sounds below the pre-determined level. The pick-up means may be provided with a housing which serves to conceal the pick-up means from view.

The housing may be configured so as to have the appearance of a product which is likely to be found in domestic premises, so that the pick-up means may be located in commonly used areas of the premises being protected, but without drawing attention to its presence.

Preferably, the pick-up means is concealed within a communication device such as a telephone or answering machine, as these are often located within such commonly used areas, such as entrance hallways, living rooms, kitchens and the like.

Moreover, answering machines and certain models of telephone are commonly supplied with mains power tlirough the intermediary of a transformer, and it is therefore envisaged that the pick-up means may also be powered in this way.

It will be appreciated that the communication device may or may not be functional, by which it is meant that the pick-up means may be located within a mock-up or dummy communication device, if desired.

It is envisaged that the emitting means may also be located within a housing of the type described in the five preceding paragraphs.

Conveniently, the emitting means is located within a so-called speaker- phone, such that persons at the second location, who have become aware of a noise generating intrusion at the first location, may alert the police using the telephone, and relay the sound from the first location to the police, if desired.

The monitoring system may comprise a control module having a plurality of inputs to enable the control module to be connected to a plurality of pick-up means.

In this way, a central receiving station may be adapted to monitor a plurality of premises or locations. Preferably, the control module comprises display means to indicate which of the plurality of pick-up means has been activated.

Thus, an unauthorised intrusion at one of the premises/locations may cause the display means on the control module to indicate which of the premises/locations has been violated.

Each input of the control module may be configured to operate at a different frequency, to reduce or remove the possibility of any interference occurring between signals emanating from the plurality of pick-up means.

The display means may comprise an array of indicator lights or the like.

It will be appreciated that the monitoring system of the present invention provides numerous advantages over systems which are currently in use to protect domestic or commercial premises. A principal advantage is that insofar as the intrtider is concerned, the system is "silent" in that the intruder is not alerted to the fact that the intrusion has been detected, and is thus more likely to remain on the premises concerned and subsequently be apprehended by the police.

Moreover, the components of the system may be assembled relatively easily, and installed, without undue complication, by an end user, in a "DIY" manner.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A monitoring system comprising pick-up means to pick up sound from a first location and emitting means to emit sound at a second location generally as picked up by the pick-up means, wherein the pick-up means and emitting means are adapted to be linked, in use, by means for supplying electricity to the first and second locations.

2. A monitoring system according to Claim 1 wherein the pick-up means and emitting means comprise plug means to enable them to be connected to electrical circuitry at the first and second locations.

3. A monitoring system according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the operating frequency of the pick-up means and emitting means is selectable.

4. A monitoring system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the pick-up means and emitting means comprise digital circuitry to at least reduce the possibility of interference occurring.

5. A monitoring system according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising control means to prevent emission of sound at the second location unless the volume of sound at the first location rises above a predetermined level.

6. A monitoring system according to Claim 5 wherein the control means comprises a receiver such as a transducer, located in or near the pick-up means.

7. A monitoring system according to Claim 5 wherein the control means is incorporated within the emitting means.

8. A monitoring system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the pick-up means is provided with a housing which serves to conceal the pick-up means from view.

9. A monitoring system according to Claim 8 wherein the pick-means is concealed within a communication device such as a telephone or answering machine.

10. A monitoring system according to Claim 9 wherein a power supply for the telephone or answering machine is also operative to supply power to the pick-up means.

11. A monitoring system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the emitting means is also provided with a housing in accordance with Claim 8, Claim 9 or Claim 10.

12. A monitoring system according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a control module having a plurality of inputs to enable the control module to be connected to a plurality of pick-up means.

13. A monitoring system according to Claim 12 wherein the control module comprises display means to indicate which of the plurality of pick-up means has been activated.

14. A monitoring system according to Claim 12 or Claim 13 wherein each input of the control module is configured to operate at a different frequency.

15. A monitoring system according to Claim 13 or Claim 14 wherein the display means comprises an array of indicator lights.

16. A monitoring system substantially as hereinbefore described.

17. An intruder alaπn comprising a monitoring system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.